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ALL BARS

Explore 54 legendary rock bars from around the world • Page 1 of 3

A

Al's Bar

Los Angeles, United States

CLOSEDSince 1979 - 2001

A fabled punk dive bar located in the Arts District of downtown L.A. in the American Hotel. Opened in the late 1970s, Al's Bar became the longest-running punk venue on the West Coast, known for its gritty atmosphere and nurturing of the underground art-punk scene.

0 stories0 sources
90% credible
punkart punkexperimental+1
B

Blondies

London, United Kingdom

OPEN0

An excellent rock'n'roll dive bar with live music founded by Australian sisters Verity, Sharmaine, and Rochelle Cox. A down-and-dirty Mecca for music-lovers with delightfully wonky furnishings reflecting a DIY spirit. Known for insane music and a cultural hub for good vibes, great drinks, and even better company.

0 stories0 sources
75% credible
Rock'n'RollPunkAlternative+2
B

Bowery Ballroom

New York, United States

OPENSince 1998

A mid-size music venue (capacity ~575) in Manhattan's Lower East Side. Opened in 1998, the Bowery Ballroom quickly became one of NYC's premier venues for rock and indie acts, prized for its excellent acoustics and elegant 1920s building.

0 stories0 sources
90% credible
indie rockalternativerock+1
B

Bull & Gate

London, United Kingdom

CLOSED0

A Grade II listed pub with a long history as a music venue, particularly from the 1980s until 2013. Hosted a wide range of indie, rock, and alternative acts in its backroom venue, run by promoters like Jon Beast (Timebox/Hype!) and later Club Fandango.

0 stories0 sources
90% credible
IndieRockAlternative
C

Cart and Horses

London, United Kingdom

OPENSince 1976

Famously known as "The Birthplace of Iron Maiden". A traditional East End pub transformed into a shrine for Iron Maiden fans, with photos, posters, and memorabilia. It has a dedicated rock bar and museum space, including a replica of the original stage. The main bar area serves drinks and food, remaining accessible even when the basement venue hosts ticketed gigs. The band's December 21, 1976 show with new guitarist Dave Murray is legendary.

0 stories1 sources
95% credible
Heavy MetalRockNWOBHM
C

Cathay de Grande

Los Angeles, United States

CLOSEDSince 1973 - 1985

A subterranean punk/New Wave club that operated in the 1980s beneath a Chinese restaurant in Hollywood. The Cathay de Grande was a hotbed for the early hardcore punk scene and the burgeoning alternative rock movement in L.A. Its mix of musical styles and notorious reputation (it was in a sketchy basement) made it both beloved and infamous.

0 stories0 sources
85% credible
punkhardcorenew wave+1
C

CBGB

New York, United States

CLOSEDSince 1973 - 2006

The most famous punk rock club in the world. Located at 315 Bowery in the East Village, CBGB (Country, BlueGrass & Blues) ironically became the epicenter of punk and New Wave in the 1970s. A dim, grungy bar with infamous bathrooms, CBGB nurtured bands like the Ramones, Talking Heads, Blondie, Television, and many more. Its policy of featuring only bands with original music (no covers) gave countless innovators a start.

0 stories0 sources
95% credible
punknew wavehardcore punk+1
C

Clockwork Bar

New York, United States

OPEN0

Graffiti-laden Lower East Side punk dive famous for cheap beer and loud punk playlists.

0 stories0 sources
75% credible
punkpunk rock
C

Club Lingerie

Los Angeles, United States

CLOSEDSince 1979 - 1995

A hip nightclub and live venue on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, active primarily in the 1980s. Club Lingerie was known for an eclectic booking policy – hosting rock, punk, funk, rap, and more. In the '80s music scene, it was a place where up-and-coming local bands and even national acts would play more intimate showcases, and it doubled as a trendy dance club on off-nights.

0 stories0 sources
85% credible
rockpunkfunk+2
C

Coney Island High

New York, United States

CLOSEDSince 1995 - 1999

A punk rock club on St. Marks Place in the East Village, active in the mid-1990s. Coney Island High was a two-level club (bar downstairs, stage upstairs) that became a center of the NYC punk revival, hosting everything from hardcore matinees to ska and rockabilly nights.

0 stories0 sources
85% credible
punkhardcoreska+1
D

Duff's Brooklyn

New York, United States

OPENSince 1999

Iconic Williamsburg heavy-metal dive packed with memorabilia and a legendary metal jukebox.

0 stories0 sources
80% credible
heavy metalmetalhard rock
F

Fillmore East

New York, United States

CLOSEDSince 1968 - 1971

A legendary concert hall in the East Village. Fillmore East was promoted by Bill Graham as the East Coast counterpart to his San Francisco Fillmore. Though only open 3 years, it was pivotal in the late '60s rock scene, earning nickname "The Church of Rock 'n' Roll".

0 stories0 sources
95% credible
rockpsychedelic rockblues rock+1
F

FM Station

Los Angeles, United States

CLOSEDSince 1976 - 1997

A large hard rock and metal club in North Hollywood. FM Station – originally opened by nightclub impresario "Filthy" McNasty (real name Ed Danky) – was the premier rock venue in the San Fernando Valley during the 1980s and early '90s. It featured a stylish roadhouse vibe, stage with pro lights, and was a key venue for the hair metal era as well as other rock genres.

0 stories0 sources
80% credible
hard rockheavy metalhair metal+1
G

Gazzarri's

Los Angeles, United States

CLOSEDSince 1967 - 1993

Strip landmark that broke The Doors in the 60s and hair-metal titans (Poison, Warrant) in the 80s.

0 stories0 sources
0% credible
RockHair MetalHeavy Metal+1
G

Gossips

London, United Kingdom

CLOSEDSince 1979 - 2007

Gossips (formerly Billys) was a basement club at 69 Dean Street known for its influential goth nights, most famously The Batcave, which opened in July 1982. The Batcave was the "birthplace of the Southern English goth subculture". It featured a dark, cobweb-strewn decor, a coffin-shaped entrance, and played new wave, glam rock, and then increasingly gothic rock. The club operated seven nights a week with different subcultures each night.

0 stories0 sources
90% credible
GothNew WaveGlam Rock+1
H

Helgi's

London, United Kingdom

OPENSince 2018

A self-described occult rock bar, considered a heavy metal bar by any other name. A true labour of love reflecting owners' tastes for 60s/70s heavy rock, psychedelia, and the occult & horror. Features vibrant psychedelic rock decorations, occult decor, good vibes, and heavy music. Known for its welcoming, diverse crowd. Described as "Hackney's heaviest late-night hotspot".

0 stories0 sources
90% credible
Heavy MetalPsychedelic RockRock 'n' Roll+2
H

Hope and Anchor

London, United Kingdom

OPEN0

A historic pub in Upper Street with a basement music room that was crucial in the 1970s pub rock and punk scenes. A Grade II listed building. A historic pub atmosphere upstairs, with a recently refurbished basement live music venue featuring a new PA, enlarged stage, and lighting rig. The upstairs pub functions as a traditional pub, while the basement is a dedicated 80-capacity live music venue.

0 stories2 sources
95% credible
PunkPub RockIndie+1
I

Irving Plaza

New York, United States

OPENSince 1978

A historic ballroom-style venue with capacity of ~1,200. Irving Plaza has served many identities: a 1940s ballroom, a Polish community center, and from the late '70s onward, a crucial rock concert hall. Known for hosting diverse genres – punk, new wave, metal, alternative, pop – over different eras.

0 stories0 sources
85% credible
punknew wavehardcore+2